92 pages · Released 1995 · Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers
Content report card
Nightjohn parent’s guide: what’s inside
High confidence
LGBTQ+ themes
Unsure
Substance use
None · 0/5
What it offers
Educational value
Exceptional · 5/5
A note for parents
Nightjohn is a powerful historical fiction that confronts the realities of slavery through a young girl's perspective, making it suitable for mature elementary and middle-grade readers ready for serious content. The narrative centers on literacy as an act of resistance and the courage required to learn and teach under brutal conditions. While the book does not shy away from depicting slavery's violence and trauma, it ultimately celebrates human dignity, friendship, and the transformative power of education. Parents should be prepared to discuss slavery's horrors, but the book offers profound positive messages about resilience and hope.
Summary: Twelve-year-old Sarny's brutal life as a slave becomes even more dangerous when a newly arrived slave offers to teach her how to read.Summary: Twelve-year-old Sarny's brutal life as a slave becomes even more dangerous when a newly arrived slave offers to teach her how to read.
Shelved under
Slavery
Fiction
Juvenile fiction
Reading
Umschulungswerkstätten für Siedler und Auswanderer
